1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an electronic apparatus with a timer, and more particularly to an electronic apparatus with a timer which is automatically placed in an operative or inoperative state by a time switch.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An electronic apparatus with a timer, for example, a radio receiver with a timer or clock has been provided with time setting means which will operate a radio receiver to receive a broadcasting signal, or the oscillator of the radio receiver to make an alarm at a set time, and with an operating switch or so-called sleep timer which will make the radio receiver inoperative after a predetermined time interval has lapsed.
A typical prior art radio receiver with a timer will be now described with reference to FIG. 1.
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 55 generally indicates a radio receiver 55 with a timer, 1 its housing, and 1a, 1b and 1c an upper panel, left side panel and right side panel thereof, respectively. The radio receiver 55 has a dial plate 5 which has a pointer 6. A timer or clock 9, which consists of hour indication leaves 7 and minute indication leaves 8, is housed in the radio receiver 55. A set time indicator drum 10 of a time setting device or so-called 24 hour timer is also housed in the radio receiver 55. The time setting device includes a set time indicating mark 11. The elements 5 to 11 can be seen through windows formed in a front panel 2 of the radio receiver 55.
In FIG. 1, reference numerals 12a and 12b designate a tuning dial knob and a volume adjusting knob provided on the right side panel 1c of the housing of the radio receiver 55; 13 a time adjusting knob provided on the left side panel 1b of the housing 1, the leaves 7 and 8 of the clock 9 being turned over by rotating the knob 13; and 14 a time setting knob of the time setting device provided coaxially with the knob 13 on the left side panel 1b of the housing 1, the set time indicator drum 10 being rotated to be adjusted by rotating the knob 14. A rod knob 15 for the operating switch or the sleep timer is further provided on the upper panel 1a of the housing 1. The rod knob 15 has formed thereon a time scale and the sleep timer is set by drawing out the rod knob 15 from the housing 1. That is, the sleep timer is set in accordance with the length of the drawn out portion of the rod knob 15, and the drawn out rod knob 15 returns into the housing 1 as the time lapse. Accordingly, when the rod knob 15 returns to its initial position as the set time interval has lapsed or is forcibly pushed into the housing 1 to its initial position, the sleep timer is released to make the radio receiver 55 inoperative.
The radio receiver 55 has provided on its upper panel 1a a push-and-push button 16 for setting and releasing the time setting device. In this case, when the clock 9 comes to the appointed time by the time setting device, the radio receiver 55 is made operative to produce a sound, but thereafter if the radio receiver 55 will be left as it is, it will be made inoperative after, for example, one hour to stop its sound production. Further, a push-and-push button 17 which is manually operated is provided on the upper panel 1a of the housing 1 for making the radio receiver 55 operative and inoperative.
When the prior art radio receiver 55 is used as an alarm clock, if the button 16 of the time setting device is pushed down to set it before a user sleeps (in this case, the button 17 is reset) and the time indicator drum 10 is set at an appointed time when the user will wake up tomorrow morning, the time switch will operate to make the radio receiver 55 operative and hence the radio receiver 55 will produce a sound at that time to wake up the user.
If the user once awakens, the sound generation by the radio receiver 55 is not required. However, the radio receiver 55 will keep its sound production for 1 hour. If it is desired to stop the sound production, the button 16 must be pushed to be released. However, if the button 16 is left as it is released, the radio receiver 55 can not produce any sound at the appointed time the next morning and hence the user can not awaken.
Further, in order to cause the radio receiver 55 to be turned on by drawing out the rod knob 15 so as to turn the sleep time switch on, and to thereafter cause the radio receiver 55 to be made inoperative before the time determined by the sleep time switch, it is necessary to insert the rod knob 15 of the sleep time switch into the housing 1. In order to cause the radio receiver 55 to be turned on at the time set by the indicator drum 10 by setting the button 16 and to cause the radio receiver 15 to be made inoperative before the predetermined time, the button 16 must be pushed down to be released. In such case, the radio receiver 55 can not be put into an inoperative state by the button 17 of the manual switch.